Among the most common forms of magnetic media in use today are diskettes, which are typically included in a plastic jacket with one or more access openings to allow a magnetic head to make contact with a rotatable disc within the jacket.
Unfortunately, the ordinary jacket and the contained magnetic media are fragile and easily damaged. For example, dust and debris, or even a finger print, can damage the magnetic media. In addition, when the diskettes are stored, they tend to be tightly packed within a storage tray or container. As a result, it is difficult to see the label area which lists the diskette information.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to facilitate the protection of materials. A related object is to protect magnetic media. Another related object is to protect magnetic media in the form of diskettes.
Another object of the invention is to facilitate the storage of materials. A related object is to facilitate the storage of magnetic media. Another related object is to facilitate the storage of magnetic media in the form of diskettes.
Still another object of the invention is simplify the protection of materials. A related object is to simplify the protection of magnetic media. Another related object is to simplify the protection of magnetic media in the form of diskettes.
A further object of the invention is to economize on the protection of materials. A related object is to economize on the protection of magnetic media. Another related object is to economize on protection of magnetic media in the form of diskettes.
With respect to the foregoing objects, consideration has been given to the prior art, with emphasis on the lockability of protective covers, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Office Class 206, subclasses 45.15 and 444; and Class 312, subclasses 10 and 12.
The following patents have been noted, which are listed in order of issuance beginning with the earliest:
______________________________________ INVENTOR AND/OR U.S. Pat. No. TITLE ASSIGNEE ______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,422 DATA STORAGE Barry Gregerson/ CONTAINER Empak, Inc. U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,950 DISPLAY AND Gutierrez, Jeffries HOLDER and Marino/ ASSEMBLY unassigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,835 TAPE Price, Ball and CARTRIDGE Johnson/ HOLDER Engineered Data Prod. ______________________________________
U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,422 ('422) "Data Storage Container", assigned to Empak, Inc. of Chanhassen, Minn. discloses an open-ended data storage container (10) for a disk cartridge (110). Two engaging members (12 & 14) form an enclosure (FIG. 6) with a spring-like retainer (16) for containment or ejection of the cartridge. Mating top rails (54 & 56) and bottom rails (28 & 30), all with tapered edges, allow for the engaged stacking of like containers horizontally or vertically.
The '422 patent emphasizes a flexible retainer (16)], including an ejector spring (92); a lip (74 or 76) fixedly coupled to each of two rails (58 or 60) whereby a channel is formed; a second portion adapted to be frictionally engaged within the channel and a tab (96) for releasably retaining the first portion (12) in fixed relation to the second portion (14). In addition, two different molds are required to produce the data storage container and the ejector spring needs to be pressed to remove the disk cartridge. Accordingly, this patent does not satisfy the objects of the invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,950 ('950) "Display and Holder Assembly" discloses a support and display assembly (10) for floppy disks or diskettes. A support frame (12) has rotatably mounted holders (28) that allow pivoting between oppositely disposed and angularly oriented positions. Each of the holders, and each contained diskette, is in a spaced-apart, parallel relation to one another when in either of two opposite positions. A braking structure (40) is provided to restrict the pivotal movement of the holders so that such holder will not "automatically" travel between opposite positions by the forced displacement of one holder.
The '950 patent emphasizes the use of a brake including an elongated strip disposed in frictional engagement. Accordingly this patent does not satisfy the objects of the invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,835 ('835) "Tape Cartridge Holder" is assigned to Engineered Data Products, Inc. of Boulder, Colo. and discloses a compartment forming member for supporting a tape cartridge (C) on an elongated shelf (22) supporting a compartment forming member (30) with a base having a width slightly greater than the width of the shelf. The compartment is mounted on the shelf by flanges (40 & 42) in a resilient contacting relationship.
The '835 patent emphasizes a device with at least one compartment forming member having a base width greater than a support surface; means for mounting the compartment forming member on an elongated shelf; and an integral support depending from the base and located between a pair of flanges to support the compartment forming member on the elongated shelf with at least a portion of the base portion spaced from the support surface with the flange portions and flanges in a juxtaposed relationship. In addition the compartment forming member has a base portion width greater than the width of the support surface; a mounting for the compartment forming member on the elongated shelf"; an integral support depending from the base portion and located between the pair of flanges for contacting the support surface to support the compartment forming member on the elongated shelf with the flange portions and the flanges in a juxtaposed relationship; the integral support being formed by at least a pair of spaced apart support members, with each support member having an end portion in contact with the support surface. This patent does not satisfy the objects of the invention.
A patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,290 ('290), Issued Oct. 13, 1992, For: "Cassette Jacket for a 3.5 Diskette", Inventor: Walter Chieng, Appln. No. 729,039, Filed Jul. 12, 1991. This patent discloses a compact disk jacket in which leaf springs for engaging an inserted diskette are connected between front and rear plates on respective opposite sides. The spring sheets are separate elements from the front and rear plates. Because the leaf springs in the '290 patent are exposed outside their side walls, they are fragile and easily broken in use, especially during the insertion and removal of a diskette. In addition the diskette jacket is molded in a fashion that causes part warpage, so that it is difficult to insert the diskette into the jacket because of the reduction in the entry space of the jacket. This warpage adds undue pressure if the front and rear portions of the jacket are separated to allow entry of the diskette following which the warpage produces unsatisfactory pressure against the inserted diskette. This pressure on the printed shutter area of a diskette causes the printing to become scraped and scratched. Another objection is that the jacket has an extended frontal portion that conceals identifying indicia on the diskette.
Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,691 ('691) issued Dec. 5, 1989 for "Device for Storing a Data Diskette in a File Folder". This patent discloses a holder for retaining and storing individual diskettes by a receptacle that secures each diskette using a tongue-shaped pressure element that presses against one side of the diskette. Holding catches in the base of the holder face the pressure element to engage into complimentary recesses in the diskette. A binder on the side edge of the holder includes apertures for inserting the holder in a file folder. Due to the construction of the holding catches, the user must use two hands to remove the diskette from the holder. Also, the pressure element obscures identifying indicia on the diskette. Moreover, the apertured binder on the side edge interferes with use of the holder when removed from a file folder. It also requires inconvenient file folder storage which interferes with ready-access to a desired holder, in much the same fashion that inserts in an ordinary file folder have a tendency to stick together and hinder rapid access to a particular insert.
Accordingly, it is a further object of the invention to realize a diskette storage system which avoids and overcomes the limitations of the known prior art.
A related object is to avoid the need for apertured binders for the storage of diskettes, as well as the need for an obscuring pressure element to secure a diskette within a holder.